Recent Posts

Currently Reading

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Just finished reading Pied Piper (Vintage International) by Nevil Shute. Remember him? You’ve got to be over about 50 to even know his name. He’s most famous for his book On the Beach that he wrote in 1957. This book, the Pied Piper, he wrote during WWII. It’s a poignant tale about a rather elderly Englishman who decides to take a trip to the mountains along the French/Swiss border just before Germany invades. His goal is to go fishing – but he gets caught up in a bit of intrigue (not the spy novel type at all) when acquaintances he meets beg him to take their children, to get them out of France before they might be taken by the Nazis. Reluctantly he agrees when he realizes that he probably shouldn’t have made the trip at all and that he must return to England. Many logistical difficulties ensue, and more children are added to his little family. It’s a wonderful tale, heartwarming for sure. Shute is an excellent writer who draws you into his tales. He also wrote Trustee From The Toolroom, one of my favorite books I’ve read in the last couple of years.

Also read Tracy Chevalier’s newest book, Remarkable Creatures: A Novel. I always love to read a novel that has me learn something concrete, as it tells a story. This one is about the friendship between two women in Lyme Regis (a town on the southern coast of England) back in the mid-1800s. From different social strata, they both share a love, a passion, for collecting and finding fossils on the beaches of their town. The education here is all about the fossils. Fossils from ancient times, with a great “to-do” over who owns them, crediting (or not) who found them, about the astute (not) experts who discredit these two women. The story is charming, sweet, and Chevalier did it again, for me, creating a story that was a pretty good page-turner. I’ve never been interested particularly in fossils, but they hold new interest since reading this book.

Just finished The Interestings: A Novel, by Meg Wolitzer. It’s about a group of mid-teens (both guys and gals) who become close friends at a summer camp, and with nothing else to inspire them, they decide to call themselves “The Interestings.” The story switches back and forth from the early years, with alcohol, drugs and sex playing fairly major roles, to their late 30s or early 40s when all of the “interestings” have become adults, parents, successes, failures. It’s about their internal angst, or pride, or false-pride, and their jealousies of each other. It had been recommended by more than one friend of mine. As I read it I kept hoping it was going to get better and it does, but I had to get half way through before I really wanted to keep going. It WAS a good read, though. With the exception of seeing some maturity develop amongst the characters, the book is kind of like a soap opera. The main character is a likable woman, thank goodness.

A week or so ago I watched the chefs at America’s Test Kitchen prepare an Austrian type potato salad. It has not even a whiff of mayonnaise in it. No hard boiled eggs. No celery. It does have red onion, cornichons (those little French pickles – I used kosher dills) and a light oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard dressing with some chives too. It’s easy. And it’s delicious! We were barbecuing red bell peppers and Italian sausages (I know, it should have been something like Kielbasa or Polish Sausage, but that’s what I’d defrosted). I thought this potato dish just sounded like a perfect marriage.

Yukon Gold potatoes are peeled, quartered and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces. They’re put into a wide skillet (that has a lid) with a bit of water and chicken broth, salt, a little tiny amount of sugar and some white wine vinegar. The potatoes get cooked through, and you use the little bit of liquid remaining in the pan as part of the dressing – it’s mixed with Dijon, oil and more vinegar, and a little bit of cooked potatoes mashed up, then it’s tossed with the hot potatoes, along with some finely diced red onion, some chives, and the minced pickles. It’s seasoned well with salt and pepper and you’re done. How easy is that?

These potatoes are supposed to be eaten within a few hours of making the salad/side dish. Don’t refrigerate it, as it changes the consistency of the mixture. The folks at ATK said serve it within 4 hours. So, you can just leave it out (covered) once it’s made. They tried many different kinds of potatoes for this, and found Yukon gold by far the best. As it happened, I had Russets, but next time I’ll make it with Yukon. I thought the salad was scrumptious. It comes together quickly – you could do some of the work ahead, even. And sitting for an hour or two likely enhances the flavor. Be sure to taste it for more salt and/or pepper. I thought it took a lot of salt to make it just right to suit me. And I’m always very heavy-handed with the pepper anyway. I’d definitely make this again! And it’s no wonder the Austrians and Germans have a great reputation when it comes to potatoes. They know a thing or two about how to prepare them. A mayo-based dressing would have ruined this combo.

And, by the way, if you haven’t looked at the America’s Test Kitchen website lately, they’ve completely revamped it, and have ALL the recipes going back as long as they’ve been producing the TV show. That is SUCH an improvement. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I’d watch a segment, go online to try to find it, only to not find the recipe. I contacted them by email and they told me that different regions of the country broadcast the shows at different times (sometimes a year later!) so the recipes were long gone. No more, with the new website! Thank you, ATK.printer-friendly CutePDF
Files: MasterCook 5+ and MasterCook 14 (click link to open in MC)

Austrian Style Potato Salad

Recipe By: America’s Test Kitchen
Serving Size: 8
NOTES: The finished salad should be creamy and loose, with chunks of potato that keep their shape but are very tender. To maintain its consistency, don’t refrigerate the salad; it should be served within 4 hours of preparation. The salad takes more salt than you might think.

Get Recipes by Email, Free!

Shellie McKinley

said on October 6th, 2011:

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I saw that same episode of America’s Test Kitchen and immediately set about to make this potato salad. Although it was absolutely wonderful, I misplaced the recipe. I desperately tried to recreate it from memory but it was never quite the same – until now. I just put the finishing touches on my Austrian style potato salad and the results are heavenly. I have never left a comment on anyone’s page, but I found your blog so nicely written, informative, and entertaining, I had to tell you, “job well done.”Gee whiz, thank you! Hope you come back to visit again! . . . Carolyn t

Janet

said on May 23rd, 2012:

I agree with the previous posting only this will be my first time making it.

Cook

said on July 1st, 2012:

Thank you! I’m so glad that you posted this. I remember eating several potato salads like this in Bavaria and Austria years ago but I’ve never been able to make anything even remotely close. An a resounding YES for the no mayo, egg, celery routine! It is about the potatoes, a robust vinegar presence and a bland oil for lubrication. You made my day – and I just happen to have some YG potatoes. Thanks!

Gosh, you’re SO welcome. Am glad I made it too. Lots of people seem to like this style potato salad as I’ve had oodles of comments or emails from people about it. . . carolyn t

Adam Hartley

said on February 22nd, 2013:

Heading out to buy the ingredients now…

This recipe seems to be one of the most popular recipes on my blog! Hope you enjoy the salad. . . carolyn t

Thank you for sharing this potato salad. It’s certainly a nice change from my potato salad, where I use bacon, mayonnaise, sour cream and springs onions! This went perfectly with the Wiener schnitzel I made for dinner tonight!

Oh, I’m so glad! I’ve had a number of people come to my blog because of this recipe – it must come up from search engines on the recipe title, I suppose, since this style potato salad IS so different. . . carolyn t

Texas Farmer

said on September 29th, 2013:

Chris Kimble’s and his American Kitchen may disapprove but I like and use 1:1 EVO and grape seed oil. I also add some sweet red ripe Hungarian peppers. No Gerkins, Chornichons only and garden grown Austrian fingerlings for potatoes. All Veggies should be fresh out of your garden. Thanks for posting the basics.